I found this site, which is really cool for adding events to twitter. There is a control panel to organize and manage them as well. Below is the list of features offered. Check it out.

No Registration Necessary

Use your Twitter or Facebook account to login, manage and track your Tweetups.

Find Local Tweetups

Easily search for local Tweetups. Sort by popularity, distance or date.

Easily Organize a Tweetup

Create and post your Tweetup invitation in seconds.

Customize with Colors & Themes

Choose from many different Tweetvite designs or create your own.

Add Pictures & Video

Personalize your invitation by adding your own pictures and video.

By Brian Rhinehart

Original Post: http://www.noupe.com/photoshop/preparing-photoshop-files-for-web-developers.html

Whether you’re a freelance web designer or part of a team at an agency, handing off Photoshop files to a client, developer, development team or even another designer is part of the process of building websites.

Whereas the development process is generally more structured, by contrast, the design process is quite often spontaneous and full of experimentation. This can lead to a host of unused and unnamed layers that don’t end up as part of the final approved design. For developers, sifting through a quagmire of unnamed layers (Layer 1, Layer 1 copy, etc.) can be confusing and time consuming.

Designers can help their counterparts or clients before the design hand-off by taking 10 to 15 minutes to prepare files in a consistent and organized manner that can potentially save developers hours of production time. As an added bonus, an organized Photoshop file will save designers time by minimizing development questions after the file has been handed off for coding.

1. Prepping the File

First and foremost, make a copy of the Photoshop file that contains the approved design and add the suffix -prod to the file name. This way you can recognize a production file immediately and know that this file type is for development use only and not for further design refinements.

Guides and layout

Properly align and remove any unnecessary guides in the document. Keep guides to a minimum and only section off the major regions of the layout by outlining blocks of page content such as the masthead, content area, sidebar and footer so that the developer understands what basic structure the page should follow. Keeping the number of guides to a minimum also allows the developer to then add guides where needed to aid them in visually mapping out layout details in the code such as nested divs and navigation menus.

Include a color palette

Create a layer group with its visibility turned off at the top of the Layers panel named “Palette.” Populate this group with layers using Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color… which are named to correspond to elements that will be colored using CSS. This allows developers to simply Double+click the layer thumbnail to get the color values they need from the Color Picker while coding.

The added “Palette” Layer Group.

2. Navigation and Button States

During the design process, it’s easy to overlook that navigation graphics should have at least three states of user interaction that will need to be defined in a stylesheet. Place each state on its own layer and name that layer to correspond to its function. As an example, using the following for the layer names of a top navigation element (topnav, topnav:hover, topnav:active) will help to establish a common naming convention and language that both the designer and developer mutually understand and recognize.

Create sprite groups of navigation or button layers or layer groups to ensure that what you envisioned as a designer will get executed in the code. Position the default state as the topmost layer within the group with the hover and active states below.

When creating sprite groups, it is also recommended that a consistent height be used for all of the states so that it is easier for the developer to calculate the background-position of the elements while coding the CSS.

Sprite groups showing the different navigation states.

3. Flattening Artwork

The purpose of flattening artwork is to preserve the approved design and to combine multiple layered elements into single layers that are more readily digested. Examples of this would be a base layer which is being used as a clipping mask and the secondary layers that are being clipped by that base layer, photomontages or a group of layers that comprise the background of a site.

Merging layers

Merge (Command+E) layers and layer groups that won’t require further editing by the developer. This not only reduces the visual impact of the Layers panel, providing a clearer road map for the developer, but also removes the chance of design elements getting accidentally altered during image slicing.

Fonts

Web safe fonts that are used for headings and copy should be left as editable text. This allows developers to easily check the Character panel to see what values need to be applied to font properties in the stylesheet.

In cases where image substitution is to be used for items such as navigation or stylized text treatments, flatten the type layers just in case the developer doesn’t have a specific font available to them. Another method of preserving the appearance of a font would be to use Layer > Type > Convert to Shape in cases where the developer may need to resize a type treatment.

Smart objects

Smart objects are invaluable during the design process. They allow for resizing and styling with Smart Filters while remaining completely editable. However, once a design is approved these layer types should be rasterized or merged with other layers to reduce the overall file size as smart objects can often contain photos or other artwork that have a higher resolution (e.g. 300dpi) than is required for the final output of 72dpi. Another reason to flatten smart objects is to prevent a “File Not Found” error message should the developer Double+click the smart object layer thumbnail.

4. Organizing the Layers Panel

First things first, clean house. This means deleting any layers that are empty or are not going to be used in the final design, especially all the duplicated layers that were used to test ideas during the creative process. By doing a little housekeeping you have already made the file easier to read.

Name all layers

Once you have flattened and merged all the layers that will not require editing, go through and name all of the layers and layer groups. Use a naming convention that is not only well recognized, but also common to your work environment. One example would be to assign layers names that correspond to the CSS that would be used for that layer such as “button:hover.” The point is to establish and maintain the nonverbal communication between the designer and developer through common practices and language.

Use layer groups

Group like elements into consistent layer groups. For example, when designing a WordPress theme, it would be logical to have layer groups with the names “Header,” “Content,” “Sidebar” and “Footer.” It’s also good practice to group like items that constitute a navigational element or other design elements that have multiple states such as icons, buttons and menus.

Mirror the layout

Start from the top of the page layout and work your way to the bottom, arranging the layers and layer groups in descending order to correspond with their position in the design. In this manner a developer can quickly scan through the layer names to identify where a particular design element is located within the Layers panel based on its visual location in the design. This is especially helpful should they need to isolate it for editing or slicing.

Use nested layer groups that reflect the hierarchical structure of the layout. A layer group called “Sidebar” might contain layer groups “search” and “advertising.” Nested layer groups can also illustrate to the developer how elements are arranged structurally within the HTML.

An example of a hierarchically structured Layers panel.

5. Handing off the PSD

When the file has been prepared, don’t just send the file in an e-mail or upload it to the development server. Schedule a hand-off meeting and take the time to go over the file(s) with the developer to ensure that they have a firm understanding of how the end product is supposed to not only look, but behave in terms of user interaction. In the end, both designers and developers will save valuable time.

So I have found a few websites that can guide you and posted some tips below.

http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/
http://www.datadial.net/blog/index.php/2009/06/09/website-fail-30-web-designs-that-will-hurt-your-eyes/

Bad Web Site Design
Why are there so many bad web design techniques in use today? Anyone that spends time online sees them everyday, and they make us all crazy. With a wealth of good web design information available, you would think that these web sites would change their ways. Below is our TOP-TEN list of the worst web design techniques.

#1 – Pop Ups and Broken Back Buttons
You hate the site and just can’t hit the back button fast enough, but the web site has broken your browsers back button, locking you down to throw popup ads at you faster than you can close them.

Do these %$*@#? Web sites truly believe, that if they bombard you with popup ads fast enough, that you will actually buy something from them?

I wouldn’t buy water from them if I were on fire.

#2. Huge Flash Intro Screen
How about making a visitor with a slow dial up connection wait 5 minutes to load your site, so they can watch some Flash effects first. Visitors don’t want to wait to see a cartoon, or a fireworks display, just to see your products on your site. Most will hit the back button if they have a dial up connection.

#3. Horizontal Scrolling
Web sites can really drive people crazy making them scroll left and right to read each line. I don’t think anyone likes horizontal scrolling. So why do so many sites have horizontal scrolling? It is a result of poor design, period.

To all you sites with horizontal scrolling, either make your site width 800 or 100% to fix the problem already.

#4. Slow Load Time Problems
Slow load time, is usually the single biggest problem for an e-commerce site. When customers try to navigate around the site, looking for items they want to buy, the site drags at a snail’s pace. Most visitors leave and find a faster site to purchase from.

Most often this is caused by: cheap web hosting, too many graphics, un-optimized graphics, or poor coding.

#5. Overuse of Banner Ads
I have visited e-commerce sites that must have been in 20 banner ad exchange programs. Frankly, the site looked like the classified section of the back of a cheap magazine. Banner ads for casinos and lingerie don’t belong on a golf equipment site. It looked like this site was actually selling golf products, but the average user would be very confused.

#6. Poor Spelling
Computers come with built in spell checkers. Why do some people just go out of their way not to use one? You are broadcasting your intelligence level to the world when you display your poor spelling on the Internet. (Buy sum cool thingz on mi sight!)

#7. Lots of Moving Things
Banners flashing, graphics twirling, words scrolling, with a string of fireworks chasing your mouse pointer.
Now, try and read the white text on the black background with all of that going on.
It makes my head hurt just thinking about it.
Please limit your site to only one moving or flashing object per page.

#8. Plenty of Music
Make sure your site cranks up some really loud, meaningless music, so you get everyone browsing the Internet at work in trouble. That is a super-fast way to make someone hit the back button. A lot of people surf the web at work, and could be potential customers, so don’t scare them off with pointless music!

#9. No Contact Information
You have searched the site high and low and are ready to buy. But now, you can’t find how to buy it, or how to contact anyone for more information. What is the site for then? No way to buy and no way to contact anyone. Did they forget an important part?

Please include contact information, or a contact link, on every page of your site, so your visitors can contact you if they want to buy something or make an inquiry. Maybe your visitor wanted to give you $10,000 for your domain name, but unfortunately now you will never know.

#10. Garbage Sites
Yes, make sure you include 10,000 words related to products you don’t even carry, just so that I find you on the search engines and then waste my time looking all over your site for it. Trust me, I am not going to buy what you’re selling if you trick me to your site with items you don’t even carry. I found a site on a major search engine that had about a thousand pages of garbage, that all took you to his Ebay link.

Here is how to do it:

1. Go to your Event, Group or page and click “Invite People”.
2. Once the page has loaded you should see all of your friends, but they are not selected.
3. At this point, copy and paste the javascript code below into your Web browser’s address bar, then hit “Enter”.
4. If all goes well, it selects all of your friends!

It takes some time for all of the invites to be sent. They go into a queue. So if you saw them all get selected, just be patient. The messages WILL get delivered over the next 24 hours or so.

Oh, and by the way, if you found this helpful please tweet it or share it on Facebook to help others find it too. The more people who share it, the more people it helps!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fRUUGvWirM

What is Airbnb?

Called the “Ebay for space” by Time Magazine, Airbnb is an online marketplace allowing anyone from private residents to commercial properties to rent out their extra space. The reputation-based site allows for user reviews, verification, and secure online transactions. Listings include vacation rentals, private rooms, entire apartments, bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, castles, treehouses, and many other traditional and non-traditional accommodations.

How it works

The open platform allows users to post listings of their space. Prospective travelers can search by city or country, utilizing filters such as price and room type to find exactly what suits their needs. Travelers contact hosts directly through the web site, which includes user profiles and friend recommendations. Dates are confirmed through on-site messaging, and the traveler books directly online using their credit card or PayPal account. Hosts receive a reservation request which they can accept or decline. Both parties then receive an itinerary on accepted reservations, and are set to go.

If at any point either guest or host needs support, they can contact our customer loyalty team. To learn more, see our help section, read our blog, or sign up here.

Y-Combinator

Airbnb is Y-Combinator funded company. Learn more, or read the article in Time Magazine.

Dear Mr. President,

Please find below my suggestion for fixing  America ‘s economy.  Instead of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan. You can call it the “Patriotic Retirement Plan“:

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force.  Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1) They MUST retire.  Forty million job openings – Unemployment fixed.

2) They MUST buy a new American CAR.  Forty million cars ordered – Auto Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage – Housing Crisis fixed.

It can’t get any easier than that!!

P.S. If more money is needed, have all members in Congress pay their taxes…

Mr. President, while you’re at it, make Congress retire on Social Security and Medicare. I’ll bet both programs would be fixed pronto!

If you think this would work, please forward to everyone you know.

So here is an Almanac (of sorts) around Social Media and adjacent technologies:

• Social Media has overtaken porn as the number one activity on the Web.
• Facebook has more than 250 million active users (more than 120 million users log on to Facebook at least once each day), Skype has 480 million, and PayPal has 75 million. (July 2009.)
• Facebook saw over 1 billion video views in June 2009. That’s still far less than that 1.2 billion YouTube sees every day, but it undoubtedly makes Facebook one of the top video sharing sites on the web. (Source: TechCrunch, July 2009.)
• Facebook is also the largest photo sharing site, with more than 10 billion photos uploaded as per February 2009 (source: TechCrunch). Flickr currently boasts 3,841,609,965 pics.
• 20 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute. (Source: YouTube, May 2009.)
• Sony’s Playstation Network (PSN) has 26 million members and Microsoft Xbox Live has 20 million members (Source: Reuters, August 2009.)
• The one-year old iTunes App Store has 75,000 applications with 1.5 billion downloads so far. (Source: Apple, July 2009.)
• The milestone of 1 billion iPhone apps downloads was reached in April of 2009, only 9 months after the app store launched (July 2008).
• 1 out of 8 couples that married in the US last year met via social media.
• Years to reach 50 million users: Radio (38 years), TV (13 years), Internet (4 years), iPod (3 years).
• The number of iPhone applications hit 1 billion in 9 months.
• If Facebook were a country, it would be the world’s 4th largest between the United States and Indonesia. Yet, some sources say China’s QZone is larger with over 300 million using their services (Facebook’s ban in China plays into this).
• A 2009 US Department of Education study revealed that on average, online students outperformed those receiving face-to-face instruction.
• 1 in 6 higher education students are enrolled in online curriculum.
• The fastest growing segment on Facebook is 55-65 year-old females.
• Generation Y and Z consider e-mail passé…In 2009, Boston College stopped distributing e-mail addresses to incoming freshmen.
• The second largest search engine in the world is YouTube.
• Facebook users translated the site from English to Spanish via a Wiki in less than 4 weeks, at a cost of 0 USD to Facebook.
• 25% of search results for the World’s Top 20 largest brands are links to user-generated content.
• 34% of bloggers post opinions about products & brands.
• 90% of people who can TiVo ads, do.
• 24 of the 25 largest newspapers are experiencing record declines in circulation, because consumers no longer search for the news, the news finds them.
• More than 1.5 million pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photos, etc.) are shared on Facebook… daily.

Let’s take a step back and think on how this will transform the new generation and digital.

Thanks for the stats Kanishka.

Client:
Precision Pressure Cleaning

Phone:
561-707-6220

Media Contact:

Judd Dunagan
CEO
Digital Complexion, Inc.
Business Phone: 561-254-5990
E-mail: judd@digitalcomplexion.com

Digital Complexion Announces New Client:Precsion Pressuer Cleaning

Digital Complexion a full service design firm based out of South Florida will provide programming services to build out a WordPress CMS powered website for Precision Pressure Cleaning. Social marketing plug-ins will be added to help client automatically post news into all social web accounts.

Precision Pressure Cleaning specializes in commercial properties, with most work done after hours, so as not to disturb tenants and customers.

Their equipment removes chewing gum, sticky drink spills, most food grade and automotive stains; also washing away dirt, grime and other debris from trash receptacles, pilings, walls, benches and adjacent parking spaces and more; leaving a safe, fresh, and clean environment.

Digital Complexion is a professional services company, providing a comprehensive range of business services, products and solutions that help our clients grow and succeed by better managing their online presence and technology.

Offering services in the following categories:

• Web Development
• Internet Marketing
• Social Marketing
• Viral Marketing
• Print Design
• Digital Design

Media Contact:

Judd Dunagan
CEO
Digital Complexion, Inc.
Business Phone: 561-254-5990
E-mail: judd@digitalcomplexion.com